To be oh so close and not get in. “One day the Lord said to Moses, ‘Climb one of the mountains east of the river and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel. After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron, for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters.’ (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)” [Numbers 27:12-14 NLT]
Poor Moses, excluded from the Promised Land for his act of disobedience. God told him to speak to the rock and bring forth water and Moses was so angry, he whacked it instead. I can understand his frustration and what drove him to whack the rock. He’d spent 40 years in the wilderness with a bunch of ungrateful, stiff-necked, complaining, muttering people. They were enough to try anyone’s patience. [Numbers 20]
But God expected more from his leaders than frustration and anger. God expected Moses and his brother Aaron to honor Him as holy. Instead of being the example of the Holy Lord God Jehovah, Moses and his brother Aaron acted just like the people. They were frustrated and responded with anger.
James says it this way, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” [1:19-20 NLT]
We are to speak to our world about the love of God, His righteousness and truth. That’s what we are called to do – to go into all the world and make disciples and teach them the things of the LORD. We are called to honor God as holy before them. We are not called to strike out in anger and frustration. May we be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. Amen.
